JPH07159011A - Water supply apparatus for automatic icemaker - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a refrigerator in which introduction of dust, refuse, etc., into a water supply tube for supplying a constant amount of water to an icemaking tray is eliminated in the refrigerator having a water storage vessel provided in an upper cold storage chamber and an automatic icemaker provided in a lower freezing chamber. CONSTITUTION:A water storage vessel 15 a constant-volume water receiving tray 16 directly under the vessel 15, a feed water pump 17 and a water supply tube 18 protruding upward from the tray 16 are fixed to a mounting plate 19, an air reservoir 22 and an air shut-off valve 23 provided above the reservoir 22 or the reservoir 22 and a feed water tube thinner than the tube 18 and directed down are provided at the tube 18 protruding upward from the tray 16 in a cold storage chamber 13, and an automatic icemaker 21 having an icemaking tray 20 and provided in a freezing chamber 14.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement of a water supply device for a refrigerator with an automatic ice maker.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional refrigerator of this type is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-260573 as shown in FIGS.
In the refrigerator 3 having the refrigerating compartment 1 at the top and the freezing compartment 2 at the bottom,
The above-mentioned automatic The ice making machine automatically starts and ends the ice making. A water receiver 11 for receiving water from the water supply pump 6 through the water supply pipe 7 was provided at the tip of the water guide pipe 8 in the refrigerator compartment 1.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned structure, from the lower position of the refrigerating compartment 1 and the lower part of the freezing compartment 2, the water supply pump 6 which automatically operates at the time of water supply operates to supply water from the water supply pipe 7 to the water receiver 11. Furthermore, although water is supplied to the automatic ice making machine 10 of the freezer compartment 2 by utilizing the head inside the water conduit 8, the upper part of the water receiver 11 is open, and dust and dirt easily enter, and
Since the water receiver 11 is fixed in the refrigerator compartment 1, there is a problem that it cannot be cleaned.

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a water supply device for an automatic ice maker that prevents dust, dirt, and the like from entering into a water pipe for quantitatively supplying water to an ice tray of the automatic ice maker.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, the present invention provides a water storage container for supplying water from a refrigerating chamber,
A fixed quantity water pan directly below the water storage container and a water supply pump that pumps water from the fixed quantity water pan, a water supply pipe that projects above the water pan, an air reservoir in the water supply pipe that protrudes upward, and an air cutoff above the air reservoir. It is composed of a valve.

Further, an air supply pipe narrower than the water supply pipe and having an opening facing downward is provided above the air reservoir.

[0007]

According to the present invention, with the above-described structure, water can be guided from the water supply pump directly to the ice tray by the water supply pipe, and at the time of stopping the water supply pump, air does not enter the water supply pipe and the water does not collect.

Further, since water collects in the air collecting part, the amount of discharged water becomes constant due to variations in the number of revolutions.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show a refrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 12 denotes a refrigerator main body, which comprises a refrigerating compartment 13 and a freezing compartment 14, and the refrigerating compartment 13 contains water. A water storage container 15 for storing water, a fixed quantity water receiving pan 16 for storing a fixed amount of water just below the water holding container 15, a water supply pump 17, a water supply pipe 18 protruding above the constant water receiving pan 16, and a mounting plate for mounting these inside the refrigerating compartment 13. 19 is provided, and in the freezer compartment 14, an automatic ice making machine 21 to which an ice making tray 20 is attached is provided.

The water supply pipe 18 in the refrigerating compartment 13 is a water storage container 15
This is for supplying water from the ice tray 20 to the ice tray 20, and an air reservoir 22 is attached to the water supply pipe 18 protruding above the fixed quantity water tray 16 and an air cutoff valve 23 is attached above the air reservoir 22.

In order to supply a fixed amount of water from the water storage container 15 to the ice tray 20, the automatic ice maker 21 finishes ice making and discharges the ice from the ice tray 20, and then the water supply pump 17 is rotated for a certain period of time to receive a fixed amount of water. 16 water is pumped up, passes through the water supply pipe 18, compresses air with water pressure in the air reservoir 22 and expels air from the air cutoff valve 23, pushes up the air cutoff valve 23 when expelling air, shuts off from the outside air, and supplies water. The inside of the pipe 18 is in communication.

Further, the fluctuation of the amount of water due to the variation in the number of revolutions of the water supply pump 17 is stored in the air reservoir 22 to be adjusted,
Water is supplied to the ice tray 20 from the water supply pipe 18. Water supply pump 17
When the pressure stops, the water pressure in the water supply pipe 18 decreases, the air pressure in the air reservoir 22 also decreases, and the air cutoff valve 23 is pushed down and opened by the atmospheric pressure and the weight of the air cutoff valve 23, and the water supply pipe 1
8 enters the air, breaks the communication of water, reversely flows the water supply pump 17, and returns to the fixed quantity water receiving tray 16, and one of them supplies water from the water supply pipe 18 to the ice tray 20, and the fixed quantity water receiving tray 16 stores the water storage container 1
5 supplies a fixed amount of water. By providing the air reservoir 22 and the air cutoff valve 23 in the water supply pipe 18, it is possible to constantly supply a fixed amount of water to the ice tray 20 and prevent dust and dirt from adhering to the inside of the water supply pipe 18. .

Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the water supply pipe 18, at the water supply pipe 18 portion projecting upward from the constant quantity water receiving tray 16, an air reservoir 22 and above the air reservoir 22 are provided an air supply pipe 25 narrower than the water supply pipe 18 and having an opening 24 directed downward. It is provided.

In order to supply a fixed amount of water from the water storage container 15 to the ice tray 20, the automatic ice maker 21 finishes ice making and discharges the ice from the ice tray 20, and then the water supply pump 17 is rotated for a certain period of time to receive a fixed amount of water. 16 water is pumped up, and the fluctuation in the amount of water due to the variation in the number of rotations of the water supply pump 17 in the air reservoir 22 is passed through the water supply pipe 18, and the air pressure in the air reservoir 22 causes the air in the air reservoir 22 to flow from the air supply pipe 25. It is discharged and adjusted, and water is supplied to the ice tray 20 from the water supply pipe 18.

When the water supply pump 17 is stopped, the water pressure in the water supply pipe 18 decreases, the water enters the air reservoir 22 and the transition is lowered, the communication of the water in the water supply pipe 18 is broken, the water supply pump 17 flows backward and returns to the fixed quantity water receiving tray 16. , One is from the water supply pipe 18 to the ice tray 2
0 is supplied with water, and a fixed amount of water is supplied from the water storage container 15 to the fixed amount water tray 16.

The water supply pipe 18 is provided with an air reservoir 22 and an air supply pipe having an opening 24 at the lower side, so that a constant amount of water is constantly supplied to the ice tray 20 and dust and dirt adhere to the water supply pipe 18. Can be prevented.

[0017]

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention provides an air reservoir in the middle of the water supply pipe, an air cutoff valve above the air reservoir, and an air reservoir in the middle of the water supply pipe. By providing an air supply pipe having a lower opening narrower than the water supply pipe above the reservoir, it is possible to prevent dust and dirt from entering the water supply pipe, and it is not necessary to remove the water supply pipe for cleaning.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a refrigerator equipped with a water supply device for an automatic ice maker according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 2] Front view of the refrigerator

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the water supply pipe with the air cutoff valve.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a water supply pipe with an air supply pipe according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional refrigerator water supply device.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the refrigerator.

[Explanation of symbols]

 13 Refrigerator Room 14 Freezer Room 15 Water Storage Container 16 Fixed Quantity Water Receptor 17 Water Supply Pump 18 Water Supply Pipe 21 Automatic Ice Machine 22 Air Reservoir 23 Air Cutoff Valve 24 Opening 25 Air Supply Pipe

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A water reservoir for supplying water from a refrigerating compartment to a freezer compartment of an automatic ice maker, the water reservoir for supplying water from the refrigerating compartment, a fixed quantity water pan directly under the reservoir, and a fixed quantity water pan. Automatic ice-making that consists of a water supply pump that pumps up the water of the above, a water supply pipe that protrudes upward from the fixed quantity water tray, an air reservoir part that is formed in the water supply pipe portion that protrudes upward, and an air cutoff valve provided above the air reservoir part. Water supply equipment for machines. 2. An automatic ice maker provided in a freezer compartment for supplying water from a refrigerating compartment to an ice maker, a water storage container for supplying water from the refrigerating compartment, a fixed quantity water pan directly below the water storage container, and a fixed quantity water pan. Water pump that pumps up the water of the above, the water supply pipe that protrudes above the fixed quantity water pan, the air reservoir that is formed in the water supply pipe that protrudes upward, and the air reservoir connected above the air reservoir, and the opening that is narrower than the water supply pipe A water supply device for an automatic ice maker that consists of an air supply pipe.